Senator Liam Cosgrave, who was named in the Fine Gael inquiry into political donations under the John Bruton regime, swept all before him at the election convention in D·n Laoghaire on Monday last.
He received 94 votes on the first count, compared to 46 for Maurice Dockrell and 44 for Helen Keogh. On the distribution of his surplus, Dockrell received 57 votes and Keogh 67. Cosgrave and Keogh were thus selected.
Cosgrave told delegates that he had always acted in the best interests of all constituents, his country and his party. "At no stage was any vote exercised by me as a return for any favour. But now the past is the past."